Her Secret Place
by saturnspell
Summary: Ron spies on Hermione. Leads to the first kiss... Cute and fluffy. Set around HBP. Rated T but very clean.


Her Secret Place

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, just live in their world.**

Set around HBP

Hermione sat on the blanket and leaned back on the oak. She gazed out at the water and then at the soft clouds in the sky.

Ah! Peace and Quiet at last!

After all the stuff they had been through (Exams, classes, Umbridge, etc) it was nice to relax. But she couldn't.

Sure all those things were enough to make anyone's head explode, but it was her heart that couldn't be still. Her heart and therefore her head was stuck on one thing, a tall, lanky redheaded boy.

Ron watched her from his hiding spot. God she was beautiful! He loved the way her dark brown eyes could freeze him his tracks, scald him on the spot or simply melt him. Her hair. What could he say about those thick, long brown locks? He loved that she didn't waste her time like the other girls, primping and styling. The way it seemed to have a will of its own and how strands would escape the ponytail or braids she would tie and then float across her angelic face.

More than once lately, he had found himself noticing her slender figure and how her clothes seemed to accentuate her shape. He wasn't the only one… Several of the other Gryffindors had noticed too… much to his displeasure!

It wasn't just her obvious (except to her!) beauty that made Ron's heart and mind race; it was all the other things. Her smarts (God she was SO SMART, Scary smart), her kindness, (how many essays and homework assignments had she helped him with), her courage and loyalty (shown too many times to count) and that fiery temper that he almost always seemed to unleash…

Simply put, he was in love with Hermione Granger. His best friend.

She looked at the heavy Ancient Runes textbook on the blanket beside her and wrinkled her nose. Nope. Not today. I just don't feel like reading….

She smiled a wicked smile and thought, " What if Ron could see me now, NOT wanting to study! He probably would have a seizure or at least a mild heart attack." A small giggle escaped her mouth.

Just the thought of Ron made Hermione's heart beat a little faster. She gave into her heart, closed her eyes and let her mind wander onto her best friend.

She loved that he had let his hair grow out this year so that the long shaggy red locks almost touched his shoulders. And those eyes! She often found herself staring into those cobalt blue eyes. They could go from hard to soft in a flash and take her heart along for the ride. Being Gryffindor's Keeper had added muscle and tone to his tall lanky frame. Ron was handsome, no doubt about it. Many of the girls in the dorm were noticing him more and more and not just because he was Harry Potter's friend. The thought of another girl like that witch Lavender with Ron made her blush with jealousy.

It wasn't just his good looks that she was drawn to. It was his relaxed attitude, his sense of humor, that silly grin of his, which he used so well to defuse her temper. Sure he could be a prat and was sometimes self-centred and insensitive. But he was quick to apologize and make things right. And he was so brave! She thought about how he had tried to defend her back in second year when Malfoy had called her a Mudblood and so many times since. Sure the two of them fought about just about everything but…

"I'm in love with you, Ron Weasley". The words flew out her mouth in a soft whisper.

Ron watch Hermione's mouth move. Oh No! She knows I'm here. He froze waiting for some charm or spell to take effect. Boils! No..Skin changing colour! No... Canaries! Nothing.

He relaxed just a bit.

He knew his feelings for her were true but he was afraid to act on them and for what he thought were good reasons.

What if she didn't feel the same way? That would certainly crush him and make their friendship awkward.

He thought about that one and remembering the huge row at the Yule Ball where she had yelled at him that she would have gladly gone with him if he would have just asked her. I think that means she might feel the same way! But he had wrecked that by going out with Lavender. But it was Hermione at his bedside after he drank the poisoned mead not Lavender. After his break up with Lavender, his friendship with Hermione had grown. So strike off reason 1.

What if… she liked someone else? The notion burned him. It made him think of how he felt seeing her with Viktor. Jealous, Hell yeah! But if she knew his true feelings and still wanted someone else… He would be o.k. with that. Seriously hurt, possibly left for dead but o.k. If that guy every hurt her… Strike reason number 2.

What if, by some strange twist of fate, they became more than friends! His greatest fear was that he would do something to destroy that relationship in such a way that he would lose her friendship as well…

"SHE IS DRIVING ME INSANE". He thought.

With his heart pounding and his stomach at his knees he left his hiding spot….

"Hermione"

"Hermione" He spoke her name a little louder.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she opened her eyes and saw Ron in front of her.

Her thoughts raced. Did he hear me? Why is he here? I'm a mess? What's going on?

"I'm sorry," he repeated over and over as she slowly came to her senses…

"Why are you here Ron?" her voice filling with an icy edge.

"Nothing really. I just came down here to get away for a bit. Really" Ron stammered. It was a lie but better than the truth that he had been spying on her.

"O.k.", she eyed him suspiciously.

"Want to sit down?" her heart skipped a bit with that statement and she blushed as she moved the Runes book.

He smiled and sat beside her on the blanket and leaned back into the oak, their bodies within inches of each other's. This is nice!

The two friends made small talk like friends do (exams, Quidditch, how Seamus blew up the boys bathroom, etc), each one making sure not to set each off into another row. There was uneasiness to their conversation until Ron look up into the sky and said.

"Doesn't that cloud look like McGonagall's hat?"

"You're right, or maybe the clock tower?"

"Sure but that one is definitely a…"

"Rabbit" they said together.

"Jinx" Hermione stated and gave Ron a gentle punch on the shoulder. He smiled and blushed, his ears going a familiar shade of pink.

'I think that one's a Hippogriff" Hermione laughed pointing up.

It didn't look like one to Ron but he quickly agreed. God he loved her laugh. He inhaled, it's now or never, he thought.

"Hermione, I lied. I have a confession to make", Ron said slowly and seriously.

"What, you don't think it looks like a Hippogriff?"

" No, no that, something else. PLEASE listen.

There was a new tone in Ron voice that stopped her in her tracks. This WAS important.

Ron placed a hand shyly on Hermione's leg and started talking.

" I didn't just come down here by chance. I've known about your secret place for months, since we had that row about SPEW" He was careful to pronounce each letter.

"I wanted to apologize so I searched the school. I saw you heading into the woods from the Bell Tower. I followed you. You looked so calm, peaceful and…. beautiful that I couldn't disturb you. When you came back and you didn't tell Harry and I where you were, I kept it a secret."

" You were spying on me!" Her voice filled with anger and embarrassment. She wanted to run, to cry, and to hit him SO badly…

He felt her leg tense underneath his hand.

"Wait, please let me finish. Then you can do what you want. Please"

Again the tone in Ron's voice froze her. She relaxed just a bit.

He looked into her eyes and the dam burst in his heart. The words flowed out of him. He couldn't have stopped himself even if his life depended on it.

"Hermione, you are the most beautiful girl in the world. I love your eyes, your hair", he gently moved a strand off of her face and rolled it behind her ear. She blushed and trembled at his touch, so soft and so strong.

" The way your clothes cling to your body". Hermione blushed even redder at that remark and her heart did a back flip.

"You're so smart and kind and patient and brave…" He trailed off, looked down to the ground and in a hoarse whisper Ron said the words that were all he had.

'I love you, Hermione."

There was a moment of silence that seemed like an eternity to Ron. He felt a hand fall on his. He heard her crying.

'Ron, you are so kind, and strong and brave and handsome" Hermione babbled through her tears. Her brain felt like mush, her heart was pounding.

"I Love you too, I always have" the words barely audible through her tears and heavy breathing.

"What?" Ron's heart had been pounding so loud and his head was spinning that he wasn't sure he had heard her correctly. Love ME TOO!

Hermione lifted Ron face so they were eye to eye.

"I"

'Love"

"You"

"Ron—"

Anything else she was going to say was lost, replaced by Ron's soft lips on her own. The kiss was everything they wanted full of love, lust, desire and realization and so much more. They felt electrified. Their bodies tingled all over.

"Hi" he whispered

'Hi" She smiled at him in a daze.

He kissed her again and pulled her onto himself. She went willingly straddling his waist. His hands found her hair and played with the long strands, sending shock waves of pleasure through her. His hand slid down her shoulders to the small of her back pulling her closer.

Her hands were busy too. She dug into his shaggy locks and then let her nails drag gently down his face, his neck and across his chest. He groaned with delight.

His tongue darted into her open mouth, exploring. She followed suit. Delicious, she thought. More, please…

She rolled off of him giving them a chance to breathe and lay in the crook of his arm. He hugged her closer. She felt so safe in those arms.

" So you like the way my clothes cling to my body?" she said with a sweet but wicked grin on her face.

"Yeah and you really think I'm handsome?"

"Oh yeah!" she beamed

" But there's no way that cloud looks like a Hippogriff"

"Oh shut up and kiss me again Ron Weasley" she giggled.

He did so gladly.

**Please Review:)****  
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